Fornax
Fornax has gone by a great many names in its history: The Jewel of Eurale, The Grand University, The Land of Enlightenment. It is, without question, the premiere nation in Eurale with regard to all things magical. Its power is based almost entirely on the high proportion of magically-inclined individuals living within its borders and schools. Many travel (or are brought) there to learn. Most don't bother to leave. Instruction on magic is difficult to find outside of Fornax, and one is essentially forced to locate an established Mage willing to take on an apprentice. This can be difficult as most apprenticeships can last a decade or longer. Geography The geography of Fornax is fairly uniform, and actually quite boring. It consists almost exclusively of endless, rolling hillsides stretching out as far as one can see. The whole region is rather green, lending itself well to grazing. Much of the land is populated by small hamlets that rely mostly on sheep and pigs for most of their income and food. There are very few forests, however, which is rather curious as the area has never, historically, had much by way of a lumber industry, even stretching back to the days of Thance. Its northern coast consists almost entirely of rockly cliffs and as such is fairly unusable for any sort of militant or commercial purpose. As a result, Fornax has almost no navy to speak of, despite its substantial coast line. A warm current runs through the sea near to Fornax, and the rolling hills act as a trap for passing moisture. The whole country, thus, tends to be very damp, rainy, and misty, often limiting visibility. Some marshy lowlands can be found as a result of this high humidity, mostly in the centre of the nation. These regions tend to be fairly unpopulated due to their lack of agricultural value. Fornax winters are typically mild and comparitively warm. Grazing is often possible year-round. Political System Fornax is unique among the nations of Eurale in that it makes use of a system of meritocracy to determine the worth and standing of its citizens. A royal line once existed in the nation's early days, but was legally deposed following the War of the Demagogue. Governance of the nation now falls squarely under the responsibility of the Supreme Scholar's Conclave (see below). Gaining rank in the Conclave is equivalent to gaining rank on the national scale, and many equate high rank within the Conclave as a Fornaxian equivalent of nobility. This seems fairly inaccurate, to say the least, mostly due to the existence of a noble class not associated with the Conclave and predating its conception. These non-aligned nobles have sparse holdings throughout the country, and their fight to retain their wealth and title has been a losing battle going on since the Conclave ascended to power. These nobles frequently seek alliances abroad in the hope that they'll be able to re-introduce a feudal system of hereditary entitlement back into the country, but this seems increasingly unlikely with each passing year. Fornax law is passed down by the Conclave, but their odd system of legal academics leads to a very slow response rate on the part of the government. Their most important law is the simple Rule of Will, which, in summation, dictates that those with the power and presence of mind to master the secrets of the arcane ought to be on the ones in positions of power, both as a result of their discipline and wisdom, as well as their outright might. Fornax law tends to be fairly restrictive, barring movement between provinces to all but the highest-ranking officials of the Conclave. Taxes tends to be fairly substantial, and while the government tends to use a feudal pyramid-structure for taxation, it also gives a return to the tax base through numerous magical services that tend to enhance the living conditions within the country. Even the smallest villages in Fornax are well-made, fortififed structures of stone, complete with plenty of fresh water, and free of disease, filth, and pests. This is rarely the case for other countries, but immigration into Fornax is typically banned. The Conclave The Supreme Scholar's Conclave is simultaneously an extensive and pervasive magical schooling institution in Fornax, as well as the nation's governing body. It was first established as a small College during the time of Thance, and has since expanded to a nation-wide system of schools and City-Universities. These massive municipalities of learning are towering metropolises with tall, space-saving structures, and a population that consists mostly of academics. They would not be sustainable if not for numerous enchantments used to sustain and maintain the population. The policies of the Conclave are proposed and voted on by its Voting House. The Conclave, like its neighbouring Feudal nations, has a strict chain of command. The various rankings are as follows. *Archmage: The supreme seat of power within the Conclave, and thus, in Fornax. There is only one Archmage at any point in time. He is elected to power from his previous position of Grand Mage by the Voting House of the Conclave. In addition to his normal duties as a Grand Mage, the Archmage possesses a total veto on any measure passed by the Conclave, as it requires his approval before the measure becomes law. The position of Archmage is held for a period of ten years, after which the individual moves to the position of Elder Mage, and cannot be re-elected. The Archmage is rarely forced from his position, historically. *Elder Mage: A Grand Mage who has held the position of Archmage for the term of ten years, or resigned from the position prematurely, or was legally dismissed by the Voting House. They still possess their duties as a Grand Mage, but their position is guaranteed for life, without the possibility of undesired dismissal. Some have, on occassion, been forced to resign through political intrigue, however. *Grand Mage: An executive scholar, their position is granted to them by having been the Grand Mage Elect of their institution previous to the seat of Grand Mage becoming vacant for whatever reason. A Grand Mage is responsible for the management of particular branch of the Conclave (and thus Fornax), usually either a school or city, occassionally a small province. The various districts containing a Grand Mage were long ago established and have remained quite static since their conception. Grand Magi also have a seat in the Conclave's Voting House. As such, many Grand Magi spend most of their time in Tallhaven, while their administrative duties are handled by their Grand Mage Elect, who usually remains at the city or school the Grand Mage presides over. A Grand Mage holds his position indefinitely, or until dismissed by the Voting House by a majority vote, or by the party of Magi attached to his administrative district by a two-thirds vote, or until he chooses to resign. Very few Grand Magi have been dismissed by either type of vote, historically. *Grand Mage Elect: Selected from a school's body of Magi by the Grand Mage. In pratice, they oversee most of the school's operation. When the Grand Mage that appointed them vacates their seat, the Grand Mage Elect is promoted to occupy the position. *Mage: Unlike other political positions in the Conclave, one ascends to the position of Mage purely by way of a number of academic tests, not through votes or political strength. These tests are a set of final, comprehensive exams designed to test not only the applicant's skill, but their discipline and state of mind as well. The tests are designed to be fairly user-neutral, so they can be taken or graded by anyone. A Mage usually oversees a number of Scholars while at the same time being a recognized expert in some field, and perhaps acting as administrator over a class or archive. They can also vote to depose the Grand Mage under which they are stationed, and are potential candidates to be selected as Grand Mage Elect. *Scholar: The entry-level position. Attached to this rank is a Grade running from one to twenty-seven, determining how far the Scholar has come in their studies. Once they have completed their twenty-seventh grade, they can apply to become a Mage. The tasks and responsibilities of a Scholar are usually menial, and they have no political power, being no better off than any peasant. Their work within the Conclave tends to improve as they increase in Grade, however.